sweet - as - Honey: Thank you for the review. The idea for a sequel to "Car Crash " Sounds good, I was thinking about one anyway.
The Secret Life Of Casualty.
Chapter 118.
Zoe was nervous, it was the day that her and Max were renewing their vows, after the revelation that she had cheated on him.
"OK?" Her other friend, Jessica, asked as she walked in to the hotel room where Zoe was getting ready, she wore a miniature version of her wedding dress, with a pair of white pumps, her hair was curled and her make up was done to compliment her skin tone.
"Nervous " Zoe admitted, she wanted a drink but she didn't want to make a scene when it came to her vows.
"You'll be fine " Jessica rubbed her arm.
Zoe nodded, trying to calm her nerves as she looked in the mirror.
Max was in a hotel, on the other side of town. Cal was with him as well as Lofty and he was getting in the way of Max and Cal and Max was beginning to lose patience with him.
"Watch it, Lofty " Cal snapped.
"Sorry " Lofty looked down, ashamed.
Max was inspecting himself in the mirror, he was wearing a white shirt with black trousers and he had polished off his shoes.
Cal looked at his watch. "Mate, it's time "
Max nodded and picked up his jacket as him, Cal and Lofty made their way out of the room, they headed down the corridor to the large room where the local vicar from Holby was conducting their wedding service.
Father Bill started the service "We are gathered here to today to celebrate the vowel renewal of Max and Zoe, we gather here today to celebrate your marriage of 2 years. We rejoice in your continuing love for each other as you renew your vows
We thank God for the passion and joy which you have known and the strength with which you have been blessed. Today you declare publicly before God, family and friends your special love and reaffirm your lasting commitment as partners in love and life.
You will declare that in spite of the difficulties and hardships of life, that with God's help you will continue to love and be faithful to one another. You again commit yourselves to a love for one another that involves the total giving of yourselves. You covenant to accept each other totally, creating a safe and loving space for each other to grow as individuals and partners and to mature in faith.
You make this covenant today before God, the creator of the life that you share, and the giver of that special love that you have for each other.
May that special love you now share continue to grow and blossom in years to come and be sustained by God, family and friends and the commitment you make again this day. "
"Max and Zoe, you are about to make promises of love to one another. These promises declare your continuing love to be a special commitment which will strengthen your lives for whatever situation you may face with the strength and courage of two."
Max cleared his throat as he recited his vows.
"I remember the first day I met you, Zoe, I had asked you for a ciggie and when my eyes locked with yours, I knew you were the one. Months of secrecy and expensive wines followed, but I wouldn't change it for the world "
Zoe took a breath as it was her turn.
It was short and sweet.
"Max, I knew I shouldn't have cheated on you, but I was insecure. "
A few tears fell down her cheeks as she thought about how much she had hurt him, but Max had pressed a quick kiss to her head and told her to forget about it, this was their fresh start; a time to forget the bad times.
"A circle is an ancient symbol of wholeness and peace. It represents the boundaries beyond which the special nature of a particular relationship does not extend. The ring is the accepted token of a marriage covenant. As these rings are fashioned from one of the earth's most precious material, so may your love, nourished and sustained by the love of God, be the most precious and durable of the values you share. In giving and receiving these rings, you again acknowledge that your lives remain joined in one unbroken circle, wherever you go, you will always return to your shared life together. "
"Heavenly Father, by your blessing
let these rings be to Max and Zoe,
a symbol of unending love and faithfulness,
to remind them of the vow and covenant
which they have made this day
through Jesus Christ our Lord. "
"Zoe, I give you this ring
as a sign of our marriage.
With my body I honour you,
all that I am I give to you,
and all that I have I share with you,
within the love of God,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit "
Max's eyes were full of love for her as he slid the ring on her finger.
"Max, I give you this ring
as a sign of our marriage.
With my body I honour you,
all that I am I give to you,
and all that I have I share with you,
within the love of God,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit. "
Zoe spoke as she placed the ring on Max's finger.
"Before God and this congregation Max and Zoe have renewed their marriage vows to each other. They have re-confirmed their covenant of marriage by the joining of hands and the exchange of rings. May there be truth and understanding between you as you are a joy and a blessing to each other. May you enjoy length of days, fulfilment of hopes, and peace and contentment of mind. "
God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit,
bless, preserve and keep you;
the Lord mercifully grant you the riches of his grace,
that you may please him both in body and soul,
and, living together in faith and love,
may receive the blessings of eternal life.
May God bless and keep you always. Amen
Spirit of God, in whom we live and move and have our being, you have given us the life and grace of human love that draws us to each other. Today we pray for Max and Zoe in their continued life together. We are thankful for the joy they find in each other and the hope they declare in this act of re-marriage. May they always be strengthened to keep the vows they have made and cherish the life they share, and to honour each other in love. Amen. "
"Amen " The rest of the congregation echoed.
The blonde knew that having a camera was one of the important things when it came to doing photography: a camera and a portfolio of her previous work. She made sure that her phone was charged, she had her passport and her flight tickets.
She walked out to the taxi, after kissing her son on the head and telling Brax that she would see him see soon, Brax had offered to drive her to the airport, but she had refused because she wasn't one for long goodbyes and she knew hearing Casey cry would make her run and comfort her baby.
"Go, Rick, we'll be fine " Brax told her as he kissed her forehead.
"Bye Brax, bye little man " She beamed, opening the taxi door.
"Ricky " Zoe threw her arms around her friend, as she seen someone get out of a taxi and head over to them.
Ricky shook off the jet lag that had plagued her for the entire flight, as she knew that would be unprofessional of her.
"Hi Zoe " The blonde replied, hugging her back, she then slipped her camera around her neck as Zoe slung her arm around her husband.
"Gorgeous " Ricky called out, giving her friend encouragement as she clicked away with the DSLR camera which was around her neck. "That's it "
They posed some more as Ricky took some more pictures.
Ricky was staying in a flat on the Farmead Estate for a catch up with Zoe, before heading back to Australia to be with her partner and son, Brax had been reluctant for her to take the job, as Casey still needed his mum, but he also knew what taking photos meant to her and he couldn't stand in the way of her dreams.
Ricky pottered around the flat, exchanging texts with Brax about how Casey was, when a text come through from Zoe, she unlocked her phone and smiled at her screen - saver, it was a picture of Brax, holding Casey.
"Fancy a coffee?" Zoe messaged her friend.
"Sure " She replied, placing her phone down on the coffee table in the living room.
Ricky hurried in to the shower as she was taking off her top and bra, and stepping in, letting the water run over her as she poured the shampoo on to her hair and lathered it in, she tilted her head back to get the shampoo and conditioner off. She stepped out and wrapped the towel tightly around her as she headed in to the main bedroom to put on moisturiser.
When Ricky arrived at the small, café, Zoe was already there, she was looking at something on her laptop. That was the trouble with being clinical lead, she had to take her laptop with her wherever she went, to complete reports, fill in charts and telling off her staff.
"I got you a coffee " Zoe told her.
"Cheers " Ricky grinned, flopping down on the chair. Taking a sip of the warm liquid she laughed as Zoe reminisced about meeting her.
Flashback
"Can I get you a coffee?" A brown brunette asked, noticing a girl, sitting in an armchair, holding a camera and securitising it from all angles, asked.
"Yeah, thanks " She replied as Zoe headed over to the counter and ordered what she and other girl wanted.
"Here you go. " Zoe handed her, her cup.
"Thanks " Ricky took a sip of her drink, before
"What's your name?" Zoe asked, as she sat down beside her.
"Ricky "
Zoe nodded "What dorm are you staying in?"
"Dorm 2" She replied.
Ricky was studying photography and Zoe was studying emergency medicine as when she grew up she had wanted to be a doctor as she liked to save peoples lives, and the reason Ricky was studying photography because her mum had got her a camera for her 18th birthday and she had fallen in love, with the idea of taking photos of: Wildlife, spending time on the beach, and as she got older, she started attending courses which would show her how to work her camera. Then, she had started doing it professionally.
End of flashback
Zoe howled with laughter as the two of them, reminisced about their lives.
Ricky was getting ready to head back to Oz. Zoe had headed to the dreaded estate to get her friend, she answered the door with a smile.
"Hey "
"Hey "
Ricky moved aside to let Zoe in.
"Got any kids?" Zoe asked, standing in the small, but beautifully decorated kitchen, it was all white, it was giving off calmness.
Ricky nodded, a smile on her lips. "A boy, Casey "
Zoe nodded as Ricky showed her pics.
"I'll give you them pics when they are developed" Ricky said, as the professional photographer that she was.
"Cheers " Zoe grinned as she headed over to Max, who she had received a text off, telling her that he was waiting outside for her as they were heading straight to the airport, but Max had told her no more.
"Wow, Max " Zoe smiled as Max unlocked the door to their hotel room, they were on the 1st floor "What are you doing?" She laughed as she felt him lift her up as she curled her arms around his neck.
"We are married now; I'm meant to carry you over the threshold " He told her with a cheeky grin.
Zoe grinned back at him, as he dropped her gently on to the bed, which was covered with rose petals, a complementary bottle of champagne was on ice.
It wasn't much, but Max had rented out a cottage for a few weeks, but when Zoe protested about work, Max had told her that Connie was taking care of it.
Zoe was sweaty, her limbs were tangled with her husbands, under the covers.
Max reached over and stroked Zoe's hair. He knew not to bring up her betrayal, he now understood that she was nervous, because before Max, she had flittered from affair to affair in a bid to ease her insecurities, she had never found a man that had made her heart race, she thought her former flame, Nick Jordan, had been the one, but their relationship had been ruined when he discovered she couldn't have children, and so had pretended to be pregnant. Nick had been furious when he found out and he kicked her out of the swanky flat they had shared, Zoe had begged him not to kick her out, but he'd had enough, and she had moved out, and instead of the loving looks they had shared when they were treating a patient, it was
"Zoe, are you OK?" Max asked, as he noticed that she had gone quiet.
"Just thinking " Zoe replied as she stood up and put her arms in the bathrobes that they had got.
"About?" Max asked.
"Me and you " She said.
Zoe kissed Max's lips gently as she ran her hand up and down her husband's leg. Max smirked, as he grabbed her and they laughed and kissed the night away, making up for the time lost when her betrayal was revealed.
Sorry, the wedding renewal was long, I couldn't find a way to cut it down.
